# Roy Dias, Javagal Srinath defend Test cricket as vital format 2026-08-27T03:30:44+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet (2 source reports) Former Sri Lankan batter Roy Dias and former India fast bowler Javagal Srinath have separately defended the relevance of Test and ODI cricket against the rise of T20 leagues. Dias told PTI that young players must treat each format differently but build a strong base in longer formats. Srinath, speaking at the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association awards ceremony in Indore, called Test cricket the 'mother of all formats' essential for developing depth in the game. Dias noted that sub-continent batters now struggle against spin, recalling advice from Sir Gary Sobers to play late with soft hands. Srinath said transitioning from Test to T20 is easier than the reverse, and stressed the role of state associations, coaches and parents in guiding young players. The MPCA distributed nearly Rs 3 crore in awards, including lifetime achievement honours to Prashant Mehta and Anand Patel. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The two PTI-sourced pieces on Rediff.com present near-identical coverage of two veteran cricketers endorsing Test and ODI cricket. Dias is quoted at length on technique deficits against spin bowling. Srinath is quoted adding institutional responsibility of state associations. Neither article questions the premise that T20 leagues undermine longer formats. Both amount to neutral wire copy with no discernible slant. The practical takeaway for a reader is that this consensus from two eras of the game, Sri Lankan batting in the 1980s and Indian fast bowling, places the onus on state boards to nurture red-ball skills while the calendar remains T20-heavy. The BCCI’s scheduling of the next India Test series will show whether its own awards ceremony rhetoric translates into action. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - rediff.com (neutral report) Leads with Dias's endorsement of Test/ODI, frames T20 as a coexisting format needing separate training - rediff.com (2) (neutral report) Leads with Srinath calling Test 'mother of all formats', adds MPCA awards ceremony details This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-09-27T06:23:05+00:00. Tags: ODI cricket, PTI, Roy Dias, Sri Lanka cricket, T20 cricket, Test cricket Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/roy-dias-says-test-and-odi-cricket-stay-relevant-despite-t20-boom/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/roy-dias-says-test-and-odi-cricket-stay-relevant-despite-t20-boom/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/